COUNCILLORS will meet next week to decide the fate of an outline planning application for new housing in Warwick Bridge, after the parish council raised concerns about access to the proposed housing estate and school places in the area.

Members of Cumberland council's planning committee will meet next week to decide on outline plans for 30 houses on land to the south of Chapel Close.

The plans were deferred by councillors at a previous meeting of the committee, due to an objection submitted by Wetheral Parish Council, with councillors also asking for time to 'consult Connect Roads and assess the potential for the provision of a footpath along part of the Burnrigg Road and to await a further report on the application at a future meeting of the Committee'.

An officer's report said: "Concerns were raised by the parish council around access routes into the site, with requests being made for a footpath along side of the busy A69, with no current footpath in place, as well as 'poor junctions with restricted visibility' being the primary access routes to the development.

"The Highway Authority has considered the request for a footpath along the section of Burnrigg Road between Chapel Close and the A69 and has found that the road is too narrow to install a footpath.

"If a footpath could be installed, given that it would not be necessary to make the development acceptable and would not be reasonably related to the development, it would be unreasonable to require the developer to fund it.

"It should be noted that there is an alternative route to the main facilities in Warwick Bridge which would involve using the footpath that heads north past the school and which links to the footpath on the A69."

An officer's report has recommended that the panel approve the application, with conditions.

It said: "On this basis, the scheme will deliver housing in Warwick Bridge that will complement one of the allocated sites which benefits from outline planning permission."